Mr. Willie Walsh:

It was very clearly misrepresented and I have said this. Comments that were made about what I was doing were completely wrong. I appreciate the fact that several Deputies at the time defended my position and my role and that of my former colleagues in what we had done and succeeded in doing in Aer Lingus. I very much appreciated the support.

I know I speak for my colleagues when I say we appreciate the support we were given at the time.

I am chairman of the NTMA. The committee will be aware that the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act contains a section which deals with material interests. Therefore, it envisaged the possibility that people involved in the NTMA might have a material interest. It sets out the procedure to be followed, which is being followed. I declared, even before I became involved, that, as a shareholder and deferred pensioner in Aer Lingus, I considered myself to have a material interest and that, therefore, I would not participate in any discussion within the NTMA on Aer Lingus. I am not provided with any document on that issue and will not be, nor will I seek to influence any debate or discussion on it. I am completely removed from anything the NTMA and NewERA do in regard to Aer Lingus.